The Great Iceberg Hunt on Canada’s New Highway

A brand-new road in Canada is making it easier to see something amazing — huge icebergs floating past the coast. After 25 years of work and C$1 billion spent, the Trans-Labrador Highway is now open. This road is giving people a chance to explore a part of Canada that was hard to reach before.

Searching for Icebergs in Newfoundland and Labrador

I stood on a rocky hill on Newfoundland’s northern coast. The cold wind hit my face as I looked at the dark blue sea. Somewhere out there, icebergs were floating. These big pieces of ice break off from glaciers in Greenland and drift down to this area, called Iceberg Alley.

I thought I saw one—a big white shape in the waves. My heart raced. But then it disappeared in a splash of water.

My husband Evan and I kept walking along the trail. We found a small patch of trees to hide from the wind. These trees, called tuckamore, grow low to the ground because of the strong winds. Evan pointed to an osprey drying its wings. In front of us, the sea was full of cliffs, tall rocks, and old empty houses.

Even though it was sunny and warm, life here is tough. People and plants must be strong to survive. I took a deep breath, feeling lucky to see this wild beauty. Then, I saw another flash of white in the water.

“It’s just a boat,” Evan said with a smile.

The Road That Changed Everything

We had been on a road trip for a week but hadn’t seen an iceberg up close yet. We knew they were out there. Every morning, we checked the iceberg-tracking map and saw them drifting nearby. But the problem was distance. An iceberg 50km away by sea could be a 400km drive because of the twisty coastline.

This is why the new Trans-Labrador Highway is so important.

In the past, the ocean was the main way people traveled here. When Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949, there were only 195km of paved roads. Building roads here is not easy. It takes a long time. Many small fishing villages, called outports, were left out and became empty.

But the new road is changing that.

Coming Back Home

In Red Bay, a small town on Labrador’s coast, the new highway is bringing people back. Keith Pike, a local man, had to leave his hometown because it was too hard to live there. But now, thanks to the highway, he has returned.

“People like me can come back home because of the new opportunities.”

Keith

The Trans-Labrador Highway is 1,200km long. It connects small towns, remote villages, and ancient Indigenous sites. It even forms a big loop through Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and other places.

Keith believes this road will help bring life back to these quiet towns.

Indigenous Communities Find New Paths

Barbara Young works with the Indigenous Tourism Association. She said that local people are starting new businesses because of the road. In Port Hope Simpson, you can go on guided hikes with Kaumanik Adventure Tours. In Mary’s Harbour, Inuit artists sell beautiful handmade crafts.

Visitors get to experience Indigenous culture while supporting local families.

Red Bay’s History Comes Alive

Red Bay has a rich history. In the 1500s, it was a busy place where Basque people hunted whales. They used whale oil to light lamps in Europe. Today, Red Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Thanks to the new road, more people can visit. The town has built a new visitor center, made boardwalks to explore the island, and improved hiking trails. You can still see whale bones along the shore.

Boat tours now leave from Red Bay to take people iceberg watching. Local musicians often join these trips, sharing songs and stories.

Icebergs: From Danger to Hope

It might seem strange that Newfoundland, known for the Titanic disaster, is now promoting iceberg tourism. In the past, icebergs were dangerous. Fishing boats had to be very careful. But after the cod fishery collapsed, icebergs became a new hope for tourism.

Twillingate, a small town, was one of the first to turn to iceberg tourism. After building a road to the town in the 1970s, locals created hiking trails, boat tours, and even started making iceberg-infused wine.

At Great Auk Winery, we tried a wine made with iceberg water and bakeapple berries. It tasted sweet, like honey and apricots. “Icebergs have given people a reason to stay or come back home,” a worker told us.

Finally, the Moment Arrived

Every day, Evan and I checked iceberg maps and talked to locals. People told us where to see puffins, which lighthouse had the best view, and where to buy the freshest lobster. But the icebergs kept drifting away from us.

Just when I was about to give up, it happened.

Near Red Bay, I saw a giant white shape in the water. An iceberg. It was floating quietly, a sparkling block of ice, slowly moving past the shore.

It had taken thousands of years to get here—from a snowflake to a glacier, from the Arctic to this very spot. Without the new road, I would never have seen it.